Berlioz: Essential Works for Beginners Le Corsaire (Overture) Harold in Italy Symphonie fantastique The Damnation of Faust Les Troyens Evenings with the Orchestra (book)
I love Berlioz overtures, busy, restless, tuneful, STILL modern sounding. And the counterpoint is always there of a slow tune combined with a very active counter-tune. Goosebump sounds.
From the early Romantics, I think Berlioz is the most genuine. What is really fascinating about him is that he conceived almost a new form for every work, cutting ties with the forms created by Haydn. No piano sonatas. No string quartets. When he wrote symphonies, they were extremely personal and visionary: operas with no stage (Roméo et Juliette), tone-poem-concerts (Harold)... In some ways he was a precursor of Mahler (in the Fantastique you have also the patchwork variety that you find in Mahler's third). Not even in Schumann you can find this radical originality. His operas are ravishing. I recommend specially "Béatrice et Benedict", full of enchanting youth and charm. A genius. Thanks a lot, Dr. Hurwitz :)
I love the music of Berlioz, so unpredictable and exciting...you made a really profound point about the stillness in the 3rd movement of the Symphonie Fantastique being just as revolutionary as the more immediate, wild stuff at the end...so very true...proto-minimalist/ambient music in 1830!!!
My introduction to Berlioz was his viola and orchestra “concerto” Harold in Italy. I was around 13 and fascinated by his sound world. What made me not just a lifelong admirer but placed him in my personal top 3 composers of all time was a concert performance of “Les Troyens” L.S.O./Colin Davis . I was totally in awe of the music and even though it’s a very long work, I never wanted it to end.
Great comment on Berlioz! For some reason I had expected "Les Nuits d'été" to be in the beginner's list, but maybe it's personal. I liked your description of the Fantastique! 1831 indeed... Thank you.
This was one your most enjoyable "chats", thanks to the tidbits about Berlioz's relationship with Mendelssohn (which his music I find more difficult to lean into) than Berlioz and his book with the bored musicians and the detailed description of the musics. I have to admit while "studying" musicology in France, I was surprised by the emphasis on German composers. I had the opportunity though to listen to the Berlioz's requiem at the worst possible place, the Notre-Dame, which is known for it's reverberation. However, it was a memorable experience. A few years after there was this mega-concert Requiem at the Bercy, which is a Pop/Rock /sports arena. There were 10 tenors singing the solo part. I let conjure the size of the orchestra. But I believe they were about 700 musicians. That one I avoided avoided like the plague :)
Are you a member of the Berlioz Society? ... it's well worth joining as you get detailed booklets at least twice a year that have some very interesting articles within them.
@@Sansho1954 I am not, but it's good of you to remind me. I used to see their little magazine adds but never took the plunge. The 80s would have been the ideal time. I suppose it's never too late.
Dear Mr Hurwitz, I have seen many of your videos since the start of your channel. If I had to recommend only one of your videos to a person that does not know you, I would recommend this one. Not only your extensive and profound knowledge is mind-boggling, but also your didactical skills and your incredible ability to reproduce on the spot the tunes. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and your passion! Fuerte abrazo, Nicolas
I would love to read a good book or better yet see a film or play on the first generation of romantic composers, in particular the relationship between Berlioz, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Schumann and Liszt. It is interesting as well the fact that romanticism had come and gone (replaced by realism) in literature by the 1830s when it was just getting started in classical music, would last throughout the century and in many ways continue on via popular music.
Yes, Symphonie Fantastique can be difficult to appreciate, not helped by too many poor recordings. If you like choral music the Requiem and L' Enfance du Christ are very good too.
Pour le corsaire une seule version : Charles Munch et la société des concerts du conservatoire. Personne n'a donne au "trait" qui ouvre ce morceau un caractère aussi fulgurant, aussi stupefiant aussi..Berliozien!
In my experience, Harold in Italy has worn a lot better over the years (decades!) than the Symphonie Fantastique. The latter may be objectively greater but I find only the last two movements of it really hold up for me while the third can be deadly. The end of that movement, though, is really ingenious because the timpani imitating distant thunder also turn into the deadly March to the Scaffold. But I do love all of Harold. From Romeo, the dazzling Queen Mab Scherzo stands up beautifully by itself.
For myself, I take a contrary view. I've always felt the Symphonie Fantastique is an amazingly innovative, cohesive and well-balanced piece - the first movement with its mixture of ardent longing and frenetic passion; the second an hallucinogenic dance, seemingly graceful but all to often threatening to tip over into the manic. And the third an uneasy still like paean to nature but with the obsessive idee fixe never far away; all are perfect foils for the out-and- out grotesqueries of the final two movements. For me, it's a continuous narrative about destructive obsession, and it works wonderfully.
I never knew that Berlioz's "Harold" does die in (the 4th movement of) "Italy". It did not sound to me like he did. 8[ Oh well, isn't a lethal occurrence almost requisite for a wild Romantic piece?.. :) Still don't see a good reason for his meeting the end, unless the programmatic brigands throw him into the fire or something! Then, what was the reason for Lord Byron himself kicking the bucket in miserable circumstances (while nobly striving to liberate Greece) if not that same echt-Romantic longing for one's end?
I've got a stupid question: Who is this "Tove" you're always talking about? Could you (or have you already) elaborate(d) on this person and why you quote him so often?
I love Berlioz overtures, busy, restless, tuneful, STILL modern sounding. And the counterpoint is always there of a slow tune combined with a very active counter-tune. Goosebump sounds.
From the early Romantics, I think Berlioz is the most genuine.
What is really fascinating about him is that he conceived almost a new form for every work, cutting ties with the forms created by Haydn. No piano sonatas. No string quartets.
When he wrote symphonies, they were extremely personal and visionary: operas with no stage (Roméo et Juliette), tone-poem-concerts (Harold)...
In some ways he was a precursor of Mahler (in the Fantastique you have also the patchwork variety that you find in Mahler's third).
Not even in Schumann you can find this radical originality.
His operas are ravishing.
I recommend specially "Béatrice et Benedict", full of enchanting youth and charm.
A genius.
Thanks a lot, Dr. Hurwitz :)
This appeared while I was listening to Berlioz's Overtures by Andrew Davis on Chandos. Not only is TH-cam spying on me, but Dave Hurwitz too!
Perhaps in memory of Davis, who passed recently?
😊
Berlioz said being a music critic was "a dog's life, either biting or licking", but he was brilliant at it. "Evenings" is a splendid recommendation.
I love the music of Berlioz, so unpredictable and exciting...you made a really profound point about the stillness in the 3rd movement of the Symphonie Fantastique being just as revolutionary as the more immediate, wild stuff at the end...so very true...proto-minimalist/ambient music in 1830!!!
We need more Berlioz chats in the future, Mr. Hurwitz. To say he's a fascinating composer is an understatement.
My introduction to Berlioz was his viola and orchestra “concerto” Harold in Italy. I was around 13 and fascinated by his sound world. What made me not just a lifelong admirer but placed him in my personal top 3 composers of all time was a concert performance of “Les Troyens” L.S.O./Colin Davis . I was totally in awe of the music and even though it’s a very long work, I never wanted it to end.
Blows my mind that only 6 years separate the Beethoven 9th and the Symphonie Fantastique.
And listen to Liszts Malediction from the early 1830's, then you realise that the 1830s was really "progressive" compared to later decades.
I totally agree...although the Fantastique overall, owes a lot to Beethoven
@@ericleiter6179 Harold in Italy owes a lot to Beethoven 9, especially the last movement.
@@ruramikael However Berlioz inhabits a totally different sound world.
Much to my surprise, the 2 works that finally turned me around on Berlioz were Les Troyens and The Damnation of Faust.
I think those two, along with Cellini are my favourite Berlioz works - Les Troyens is by far my favourite opera.
Great comment on Berlioz! For some reason I had expected "Les Nuits d'été" to be in the beginner's list, but maybe it's personal. I liked your description of the Fantastique! 1831 indeed... Thank you.
This was one your most enjoyable "chats", thanks to the tidbits about Berlioz's relationship with Mendelssohn (which his music I find more difficult to lean into) than Berlioz and his book with the bored musicians and the detailed description of the musics. I have to admit while "studying" musicology in France, I was surprised by the emphasis on German composers. I had the opportunity though to listen to the Berlioz's requiem at the worst possible place, the Notre-Dame, which is known for it's reverberation. However, it was a memorable experience. A few years after there was this mega-concert Requiem at the Bercy, which is a Pop/Rock /sports arena. There were 10 tenors singing the solo part. I let conjure the size of the orchestra. But I believe they were about 700 musicians. That one I avoided avoided like the plague :)
Berlioz is my guy. Because he is interesting biographically as well as musically, I've purchased 14 or so books by or about him.
Are you a member of the Berlioz Society? ... it's well worth joining as you get detailed booklets at least twice a year that have some very interesting articles within them.
@@Sansho1954 I am not, but it's good of you to remind me. I used to see their little magazine adds but never took the plunge. The 80s would have been the ideal time. I suppose it's never too late.
His Symphony Fantastique is amazing. The use of the big bells near the end is epic
I was in my early teens when I first encountered Harold in Italy (live), and I found it very strange but interesting!
Dear Mr Hurwitz,
I have seen many of your videos since the start of your channel. If I had to recommend only one of your videos to a person that does not know you, I would recommend this one. Not only your extensive and profound knowledge is mind-boggling, but also your didactical skills and your incredible ability to reproduce on the spot the tunes. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and your passion! Fuerte abrazo, Nicolas
Thank you!
This was a great and engaging introduction, Dave! Thanks! I haven't read anything by B., but now I know about it and will do it further on.
I would love to read a good book or better yet see a film or play on the first generation of romantic composers, in particular the relationship between Berlioz, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Schumann and Liszt. It is interesting as well the fact that romanticism had come and gone (replaced by realism) in literature by the 1830s when it was just getting started in classical music, would last throughout the century and in many ways continue on via popular music.
Check out the Romantic Generation by Charles Rosen!
@@neilmccalmont1143 great thanx!
Yes, Symphonie Fantastique can be difficult to appreciate, not helped by too many poor recordings. If you like choral music the Requiem and L' Enfance du Christ are very good too.
Pour le corsaire une seule version : Charles Munch et la société des concerts du conservatoire. Personne n'a donne au "trait" qui ouvre ce morceau un caractère aussi fulgurant, aussi stupefiant aussi..Berliozien!
Pas exactement. Le meilleur version est la de Beecham.
In my experience, Harold in Italy has worn a lot better over the years (decades!) than the Symphonie Fantastique. The latter may be objectively greater but I find only the last two movements of it really hold up for me while the third can be deadly. The end of that movement, though, is really ingenious because the timpani imitating distant thunder also turn into the deadly March to the Scaffold. But I do love all of Harold.
From Romeo, the dazzling Queen Mab Scherzo stands up beautifully by itself.
For myself, I take a contrary view. I've always felt the Symphonie Fantastique is an amazingly innovative, cohesive and well-balanced piece - the first movement with its mixture of ardent longing and frenetic passion; the second an hallucinogenic dance, seemingly graceful but all to often threatening to tip over into the manic. And the third an uneasy still like paean to nature but with the obsessive idee fixe never far away; all are perfect foils for the out-and- out grotesqueries of the final two movements. For me, it's a continuous narrative about destructive obsession, and it works wonderfully.
I never knew that Berlioz's "Harold" does die in (the 4th movement of) "Italy". It did not sound to me like he did. 8[
Oh well, isn't a lethal occurrence almost requisite for a wild Romantic piece?.. :) Still don't see a good reason for his meeting the end, unless the programmatic brigands throw him into the fire or something! Then, what was the reason for Lord Byron himself kicking the bucket in miserable circumstances (while nobly striving to liberate Greece) if not that same echt-Romantic longing for one's end?
I misread this as Boulez: Essential Works for Beginners.
It will come later. (Or not.)
It's gonna be a short video. I bet about 5 sec. long..
There is one already, it's just so short it can't be perceived by ordinary human senses.
I've got a stupid question: Who is this "Tove" you're always talking about? Could you (or have you already) elaborate(d) on this person and why you quote him so often?
Yes, I have spoken about him many times. Donald Francis Tovey. You can look him up on Wikipedia and elsewhere.
@@DavesClassicalGuide thanks, now I know how to write his name 😇🙊